Felt-reconditioning apparatus



1,548,073 F. w. VICKERY FELT REGONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Feb 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnvenan' Aug. 4, .1925.

- F. w. VICKERY FELT RECONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Feb/a. 1924 4 Sheets$heet 2 I ulunuuun Illlllll f/vue rubor F. w. VICK ERY FELT RECONDITIONING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 8. 1924 Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,073

F. w. VICKERY FELT RECONDITIONING APPARATUS I Filed Feb. 8,.1924 4 sheets-s eet 4 [77706 rotor" Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

- UNITED STA FREDERICK w. vIox'nnY, or LONDON,

or BOSTON, massacnusn'r'rs, a

TES

ENGLAND, 'ASSIGNOR '10 VICKEBY' LIMITED,

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS,

FELT-RECONDITIO'NING APPARATUS.

Application filed Fgbruary s, 1924. Serial No. 091,534.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. VI K- ERY, a subjectof the King of England, residing at London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Felt-Beconditioning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to reconditioning the transporting felt belt of paper making machines.

In paper making machines, the felt belt conveys the paper pulp in web form between press rolls. These rolls press both the felt and the web of paper, squeezing out the Water.

In paper machines of this class, after the felt belt has been used for a certain length of time it deteriorates, that is, the threads of the felt are pressed by the'press rolls and are caused to assume a flattened shape. ThlS flattening of the threads of the belt closes the pores of the felt and interferes with the squeezing of the water by the press rolls out of-the paper web and through the felt belt. Then this condition, of affairs occurs, the character of the paper deteriorates. The deterioration of the felt belt is also partly due to dirt or other material which 1s left upon the felt belt by this is not the principal difliculty leading to the above deterioration of the felt, and it is the main object of this invention to overcome the difiiculty hereinbefore set forth, namely the deterioration of the felt belt by the flattening of the threads and the consequent lateral spreading of the threads and filling up'of the spaces or pores which would otherwise exist in the felt belt.

If the felt belt is not reconditioned, the warp-s will return repeatedly to the press rolls in exactly the same relative positions,

an apparatus for the paper web, but

until all the-elasticity is pressed out of them,

and finally each thread takes a permanent set making a continuous impervio that the water cannot pass through the same. When this happens, the paper manufactured on the machine becomes what is known technically as crushed and it becomes necessary to stop new felt belt in order to restore the machine to itsinormal' operative condition or to stop the machine and recondition the belt.

In' order to overcome the I flattening, widening and matting of the threads of the felt, this invention contemplates disturbing us mat so the machine and install a I this matted condition so as to restore the threads as far as possible to their original shape and position by causing them to change their positions relatively to each other so that they will not all constitute flattened threads lying in a substantially horizontal plane. a

In addition to the changing of the positions of the threads relatively to each other and thereby correcting the flattened shape of the same, this invention contemplates'removing the dirt from the felt belt, in other it words, the invention contemplates cleaning the belt as well as reconditioning it with respect to the flattened threads thereof.

To these ends the apparatus of this invention contemplates employing a narrow jet of water under pressure and directed against one face of the felt belt with suflicient force to cause the water to pass through the felt and preferably the water employed should I be hot, and in order to secure this desirable condition of the water, the apparatus of this invention contemplates using a jet of steam in close proximity to the jet of water.

In order to assist in holding the belt in position to be operated upon by the jet of water, but principally for the urpose of drawingthe water through the It in the opposite direction to that in which it has been ejected from the ejecting port of the reconditioning device, a suction member is employed consisting of a suction box extending entirely across the width of the belt which is to be reconditioned and provided with a suction port alsoextending entirely across said width. Suction is applied at the suction port which acting upon the belt in the opposite directiont'o the force of the jets of waterand steam, causes thewater to be sucked through the belt in the opposite direction to that in which it is supplied to the belt by the ejecting fluid port.

and means forv supplying fluid under pressure as hereinbefore set forth, is moved transversely of the felt belt with the eject ing port or ports in close proximity to one surface of said felt belt and is moved very slowly as compared with the speed of the belt which is being reconditioned, the distanc traveled by the fluid ejecting port being approximately not greater than the distance across said port during, a travel of the belt throughout its entire length.

a jet of cleaning fluid through the felt, but

if the fluid can be caused to return sharplyupon itself, it will exert a twisting or curl ing effect upon the threads of the belt, Whereas a jet passing straight through the felt would merely thrust them aside.

The apparatus of this invention accomplishes this desirable result, that is, fluid preferably water, heated, is forced through the belt ina limited area' and is then drawn through the belt in the'opposite direction by the suction device, and this causes a twisting or curling effect upon the threads which changes the relation of the threads to each other and overcomes the flattened condition hereinbefore referred to and at the same time the felt will be cleansed thereby.

It Will be understood that in order that the belt should be reconditioned and have imparted to the threads thereof the twisting or curling effect hereinbefore referred to, that that portion of the belt which is being reconditioned must, during this reconditioning operation, be firmly held down against the upper face of the reconditioning member by the suction, and in order that this should be carried into practical operation, therefore, the suction port must be located adjacent to the ejecting port and preferably upon two sides thereof or entirely surrounding the same.

The invention consists in the improved method of reconditioning the felts of paper making machines and the apparatus for carrying said method into practical operation, all as hereinbefore set forth and par-- ticularly as pointed out in the claims.

' Referring to the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away and partly shown in section of an apparatus embodying one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective lan view of a portion of the apparatus of my invention. v Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 44 of'Fig. 1. I

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional elevations taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the mechanism for reversing the feed of the reconditioning member in two positions.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of another embodiment of my invention in which the reconditioning member is contained within the suction member.

Fig. 8 is a diagrannnatio elevation as viewed from the right of Fig. 1 of aportion of tfie-felt reconditioning mechanism, the

6.4, 65, 66, c7, 68 and 69.

transporting felt belt and mechanism adapted to move the felt belt and to actuate the reconditioning member.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, 15 and 16 are oppositely disposed side members of the frame of the apparatus connected together by a beam 14 which is of an inverted V shape in cross section. Upon the beam 11 is slidably mounted a reconditioning member 17. The reconditimiing member 17 is provided with a top plate 18 upon which the felt belt 19 rests.

,Said top plate is provided with a 'lluid ejecting port 20 and a steam ejecting port 21. The port 20 is connected by a pipe 22 to a source of water supply under pressure and the port 21 is connected by a pipe 23 to a steam supply. tends across the machine and is supported at its opposite ends upon the side members 15 and 16 of the frame. Said suction member is provided with a chamber 25 and with a suction port 26, the chamber 25 being connected by a pipe 27 with a suitable suction apparatus. It will be understood, therefore, that the suction member is stationary and that the port 26 extends across the entire width of the portion of the-belt 19 to be reconditioned.

The reconditioningmember 17 has a reciprocatory motion imparted thereto to carry the same entirely across while in contact with the surface of the belt 19 by a screw 28 which has screw-threaded engagement with said reconditioning member and is rotated by a pawl and ratchet mechanism which will now be described.

A shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in the frame of the machine and is provided at one end thereof with a crank arm 33 which -is connected by a coil spring 34 to a stationary bracket 35. The opposite end of the shaft 32 has a segmental arm 36 fast thereto provided with a segmental slot 37.

Near each of its ends, the shaft I12 has cams 38 and 39 and the reconditioning member 17 is also provided with oppositely arranged cams 40. An eccentric 11 is rotatably mounted upon the frame of the machine, to.- gether with a sprocket wheel 42 which is fastened thereto. The sprocket wheel 42 is driven by a chain 43 see Fig. 8, from a sprocket 60 which is fastened-to a shaft 61 to which is fastened one of the feed rolls ()2 of a felt feeding mechanism ordinarily used and well known to those skilled in the art of paper making machines. The feed roll 62 co-operates with a feed roll 63 to feed the felt belt 19 in the direction of the arrows. see Fig. 8. The felt belt is 'Ihe eccentric 41 is rotatably mounte sliding block 44,-see Figs. 5 and ti-w'hi A suction member 21 ex- K guided by rolls d in a rocker frame frame 45 being pivoted f the machine.

turn, is slidabl 45, the rocker to the frame 0 frame 45 has pivotally ppositely dispose laterally extending pins 50 and cent to the toothed w mounted on the plain en is a sector 53 which has to it at 54 a skeleton which surrounds the end 28. The sector 53 is co 56 to the slotted segment shaft 32 by a pin 57 the segmental slot i 4 the screw rotating methfollows :-Assuming that the er 17 be at one side g mechanism anism is as reconditioning memb of the machine and the reversin positioned as in Fig. 5 with the p lifted by the sector with the teeth of the Wheel 42 is driven .an will revolve, down in the r same time the rocker rocked about its pivot 46 so tha 49 will push the quired distance a the next tooth, movement of the paw will be rotated by wheel 52, being fixe continues until the reconditionin 17 has been moved by the screw ro the beam 14 entirely across the p a the belt 19 which whereupon the cam will engage andwill rock the' tension on the s 37 in the arm 36m of the link 56 until the pin 57 ar the end of the slot chorage of the spring 33 will have pas between the shaft the spring 34 to the assistance of the cams 40 rock the sector 53 to engage t 49 and lift' the pawl with the toothed wheel 52, the travel of the reconditioning will be stopped.

53 out of engagement wheel 52; the sprocket d the eccentric 41 moving the block 44 up and ocker frame 45, and at the frame 45 will be t the pawl toothed wheel nd then return to engage and during the forward 1 49the screw rod 28 f the toothed d to it and this action is being recon 40 on the member 17 38 on the shaft 32 shaft 32 at the same time pring 34, the slot over the pin 57 37, whereupon the an- 34 to the crank arm the dead center line 32 and the anchorage of the bracket 35 andwith and 38, will he pin 51 of the pawl engagement whereupon member 17 During this-mov the balance weight 55 w i across the vertical me tor 53 and said by assist in movi position illustrate trated in Fig. 6,-t

f the sector 53, 11- have swung dian plane of ght 55 will therethe sector 53 from the n Fig. 5 to that illushe sector, being retained balance wei in the proper position by the inside edge of the balance weight on one side resting against a collar 58 on the screw rod 28.

During this movement of the sector 53,

the 'pawl 48 is released andengages the toothed wheel 52, and the continued rotation of the sprocket wheel 52 will now cause the rocker frame 45 to compel the ,pawl 48 to act upon the toothed wheel 52 and move it in the reverse direction to that in which it has hitherto been moving, and thus reverse the movement ofthe screw rod 28, and at the end of the movement of the reconditioning member across the belt 19 in the opposite direction to that in which it has been moved hitherto, the same reversing action, but in an opposite manner, with regard to the pawls 48 and 49, takes place and the rotation of the screw rod 28 is again 1 reversed, causing the reconditioning member 17 to be moved across the belt in the same direction as first herein'be-fore described.

The screw thread on the screw rod 28 has. such a pitch and the mechanism by which it is rotated bears such a relation to the mechanism which feeds the felt belt 'that the reconditioning member will move across the belt a distance not greater than the distance across the ejecting port 20 measured transversel of the'belt 19, during a travel of the elt-1 9 throughout its I entire length. a

The reconditioning member 17 operates on the face of the belt 19 as it passes over the top 18 of said reconditioning member on the return or bottom'run of the belt. Consequently the felt belt can be changed as quickly and easily as if the reconditioning member were not installed or can be reconditioned without, in any way, interfering with the continuous operation of the paer making machine.

The faceof the belt '19 contacts with the upper face of the top 18 of the reconditioning member 17, water is forced through the pipe 22 out of the fluid ejecting port 20 and through the transporting felt belt 19 and is heated'by means of steam from the steam pipe 23 and steam port 21. The hot water issues from the fluid ejecting port 20 in the form of a jet and is forced upwardly through the felt and is caused to turn sharp- 1y upon itself, and is drawn downwardly through the felt by the suction from the suction port 26, and thus a twisting or curling effect will be exerted upon the threads of the felt. The belt is firmly held against the top 18 by the suction at the suction port 26.

The distance across the ejecting portreferred to in the claims means the distance across the-ejecting port measured in the direction of its travel or transversely of the felt belt. The term felt used in connection with the paper transporting belt is a technical term used in the paper manufacturing trade, but it is to be understood that this invention is not intended to be limited to a transporting belt made of felt as a belt made of some fabric other than felt may be reconditioned and cleansed by the device of this invention without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The general operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows :The belt 19 is fed in the direction of the arrow a, Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The reconditioning memher is positioned at one side of the belt with the fluid and steam ejecting ports immediately adjacent to one surface of the belt, suction is applied to the belt 19 at the suction port 26 through the pipe 27, water is forced through the fluid ejecting port 20 and steam is forced through the'steam ejecting port 21 from the pipes 22 and 23 respectively. The hot water passes through the belt and upwardly above the belt. The reconditioning member is fed transversely of the belt by the screw rod 28 as hereinbefore described at such a speed that the fluid ejecting port will not travel a greater distance than its width measured transversely of the belt during a travel of the belt throughout its entire length. hen the reconditioning member has traveled transversely of the belt until the fluid and steam ejecting ports have traveled entirely across the portion of the belt which is being reconditioned the direction ofrotation of the screw rod 28 is reversed by the mechanism hereinbefore described and the recondition-' ing member then travels backwardly across the portion of the belt which is being reconditioned. Hot water is forced upwardly through the belt from the ejecting port 20 and is drawn backwardly down through the belt by the suction at the suction port 26 thus disturbing the threads 'of the belt and changing their location relatively to each other so as to open up spaces between the threads which formerly were flattened and in close relation to each other and also cleaning the belt.

While the apparatus hereinbefore described has embodied therein a port and means for supplying steam to heat the fluid -or water, it isto be understood that my invention is not limited to this construction asthe apparatus is e ually effective if hot water can be obtaine and supplied to the fluid ejecting port, in which case the steam ejecting port and means for conveying steam thereto may be omitted.

In the embodiment of my invention hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, I have illustrated the travel; ing-reconditioning member as located outside of the stationary suction member 24, but in some classes of work and under certain conditions it is preferable that the fluid ejecting port should be surrounded by the suction port, or in any event, that the suction port should be positioned on opposite sides of the fluid ejecting port and such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 7 wherein 17 is the reconditioning member slidably mounted upon a beam 14 which is-of an inverted V shape in cross section.

The reconditioning member 17 has a reciprocatory motion imparted thereto by a screw 28 by mechanism similar to that hereinbefore described whereby the reconditioning member 17 had reciprocatory motion imparted thereto. The reconditioning member 17' is provided with a fluid ejecting port 20 which projects through and is surrounded by a suction port 26 provided in a top plate 18 which extends across a suction member .24 provided with a chamber 25'. The suction member 24' extends across the machine and is supported at its opposite ends upon side member's similar to the side members 15 and 16 illustrated in Fig. 1.

The fluid ejecting port 20 is connected by a pipe 22' to a source of water supply under pressure and the suction'chamber 25 is connected by a pipe 27 with a suitable suction apparatus. A shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in the frame of the machine and isoperated by mechanism similar to that illustrated and described as operating theshaft32 in the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1' to 6 inclusive.

The operation of this embodiment of my invention is as follows :The belt 19' is fed in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 7,

along the upper face of the top plate 18.

with the fluid port 20' and the suction ports 26' immediately therebeneath and adjacent to the under surface of the belt. Suction is applied to the belt 19 at the suction ports 26' through the pipe 27f and chamber 25'. Water is forced through the fluid ejecting port 20' and passes through the belt and upwardly above the belt 19. The reconditioning member 17 is fed by the screw 28 transversely of the belt 19 and longitudinally within the suction chamber 25 by the screwrod 28 as hereinbefore described, preferably at such a speed that the fluid ejecting port will not travel a greater disreconditioning action will,

belt from the ejecting port'20' and is drawn backwardly down through the belt by the suction at the suction ports 26', thus disturbing the threads of the belt and chang: ing their locations relatively to each other so as to open up spaces between the threads which formerly were flattened and in close fillgtion to each other and also cleaning the In a construction of this character the belt is held more firmly. against the inner face of the reconditioning member and the therefore, be more efliciently carried out if-a suction port entirely surrounds the fluid ejecting port, or

in any event is'located upon opposite sides of the fluid ejecting port.

While I have described in the foregoing specification and have set forth in many 0 the claims a suction device for causing the water to return through the felt belt for reconditioning the same, I may, without departing from the spirit of this invention,

cause the 'water to be returned through the belt by the direct pressure of air, provided by means other than suction, as it is evident that instead of suction supplied by. a suction port, located beneath the belt, pressure of. air may be supplied above the belt and thus drive the water downwardly through the belt and into the port, which I have referred to as a suction port, or the pressure of air may be applied to the upper surface of the belt, together with the suction port and suction applied thereat,

without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of reconditioning the transporting felt belts of paper making and similar machines which consists in forcing a jet of fluid through afelt belt while the belt is moving longitudinally thereof and moving the jet transversely of the. belt a distance not aterthan its width during a travel of said belt throu hout its entire length and simultaneously su jecting the felt through which said fluid has been forced at all times during the reconditioning'operation to the p ress'ure of air throughout the entire width thereof which is to have fluid forced there through to cause the fluid to return through the felt, whereby the relative locations of the threads of the felt are changed. j

2. The method .of reconditioning the transporting felt belts of paper making and similar machines which consists in forcing a jet of fluid and a jet of steam through a elt belt while the belt is moving .longi-i tudinally thereof and in moving the jet of fluid and the jet of steam transverselyof the belt a. distance not. eater than the width of said jet of fluid uring a travel of said belt throughout its-entire length andsimultaneously subjecting the felt at all distance not greater times during the similar machines which consists in forcing a jet of fluid through a felt'belt while the belt is moving longitudinally thereof and moving the jet transversely of the belt a than its width during atravel of said belt throughout its entire length and simultaneously subjecting the felt at all times during the reconditioning operation and through which said fluid has f been forced to suction throughout the entire width-tliereof which is to have fluid forced therethrough to cause the fluid to return tlirough the felt,"whereby the relative locations of the threads of the felt are changed.

4. The method of reconditioning the transporting felt belts of paper making and similar machines which consists in forcing a jet of fluid and a jet of steam through a felt belt while the belt is moving longitudinally thereof and in moving the jet of fluidand the jet of steam transversely of the belt a distance not greater than'the width of said jet of fluid during a travel of said belt throughout its entire length and simultaneously subjecting the felt at all times during thereconditioningoperation and throughout the entire width thereof which is to have fluid forced theret-hrough to suction to cause the fluid to return through the felt,whereby the relative locations of the threads of the felt are changed.

5. An apparatus for reconditioning the transporting felt belt of a paper making machine having, in combination, a reconditioning member provided with a fluid ejecting ort, a vide with a fluid suction port, means to supply fluid under pressure at said fluid ejecting port, means to apply suction at said suction ort, mechanism adapted to move a transporting felt band longitudinally thereof with one face closely adjacent to said fluid ejecting and suction rts and mechanism to move said reconditioning member and its ejecting port transversely across said belt a distance'approximately not greater than the distance across said fluid ejecting port during a travel of said belt throughout its entire length.

6. An apparatus for reconditioning the transporting felt belt of a paper making machine having, in combination, a reconditioning member provided with -a fluid ejecting port, a stationary suction member provided with a fluid suction port, means to supply fluid under pressure at said. fluid ejecting stationary suction member proport, means to apply suction at said suction port, mechanism adapted to move a transporting felt band longitudinally thereof with one face closely adjacent to said fluid ejecting and suction ports and mechanism to move said reconditioning member, and its ejecting port transversely across said belt and alternately in opposite directions a distance approximately not greater than the distance across said fluid ejecting port during a travel of said belt throughout its entire length.

7. An apparatus for reconditioning the transporting felt belt of a paper making machine having, in combination, a reconditioning member provided with a fluid ejecting port, a stationary suction member extending entirely across said belt and provided with a suction portion, means to supply fluid under pressure at said fluid ejecting port, means to apply suction at said suc tion port, mechanism adapted to move a transporting felt band longitudinally thereof with one face closely adjacent to said ejecting and suction ports and mechanism adapted to'move said reconditioning member and its port transversely across said belt a distance approximately not greater than the distance across said fluid ejecting port during a travel of said belt throughout its entire length.

8. An apparatus for reconditioning the transporting felt belt of a paper making machine having, in combination, a reconditioning member provided with a fluid ejecting port and a heated fluid ejecting port adjacent to said fluid ejecting port, a stationary suction member provided with a fluid suction port extending transversely of said belt, means to supply fluid under pressure to said d a q n a t-ionlng membei provided with a fluid e ecti ng port and a heated fluid ejecting port adjacent to said fluid ejecting port, a stationary suction member provided with a fluid suction port extending transversely of said belt, means to supply fluid under pressure to said fluid ejecting port, means to apply heated fluid under pressure at said heated fluid ejecting port, means to apply suction at said suction port, mechanism adapted to move a transporting felt band longitudinally thereof with one face closely adjacent to said ejecting and suction ports and mechanism to move said reconditioning member and its ports transversely across said belt and alternately in opposite directions a distance approximately not greater than the distance across said fluid ejecting port during a travel of said belt throughout its entire length.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK W. -VICKERY.

Witnesses:

KATHRYN M. J oYoE, HAZEL F. BATES. 

